The Barbed-Wire Kiss: A Novel

Rating:
Summary: Highly recommended
Review: Harry Rane retired from the New Jersey State Troopers after being shot on duty two years ago. He lives on a pension and the memories of his late wife- dead of cancer. A friend, Bobby Fox asks for his help. It seems Bobby was involved in a drug deal. His partner in the deal has skipped town leaving Bobby to pay the bills to a local mobster, Eddie Fallon. Bobby wants Harry to act as an intermediary between himself and Fallon. He needs time to get together the $50,000. Fallon, however, proves difficult to deal with and, eventually, Harry has to resort to violence.
Wallace Stroby has managed to write one of the year's best novels to date. It is amazing to think this is a debut author. There is a maturity in the depth of the writing rare with a first-timer. Realistic and sympathetic characters mesh perfectly with the vivid New Jersey shore setting. The characters drive this novel but the plot is far from flimsy and could stand on it's own. So much character driven crime fiction focuses on the mundane with plot elements subjugated. Wallace Stroby manages to keep all the elements of the story in the forefront. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: NJ Reader
Review: I read this book after reading a review in an NJ newspaper. It was a little slow going in the beginning but once it got moving I really enjoyed it. It was a realistic story and Harry ended up actually getting hurt unlike many books where the hero is more like superman. I can see this book being the start of a series for this author.

Rating:
Summary: Good atmospheric thriller
Review: Stroby is a fine writer. His dialogue is crisp and the prose is sharp. He is very talented at creating the atmosphere of the Jersey Shore. The action is good and not over done. The story is not wildly orginial, but it works. There are no punches pulled and no characters saved because they are "good." I would have liked to have seen the character of Cristina developed a bit more. In addition, I would have loved to see more of Ray Washington (who comes across as the classic smart ex-partner with a wife--think Danny Glover). Still, well done and worth a read.